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1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for frying (this recipe calls for a shallow, not deep, fry, so the oil should only come up about 1/4 inch on the side of the pan)
1 small onion, small dice
1 red bell pepper (this time I used orange because it was all I had, but I like the red against the rest of the colors)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
4 cups frozen chopped spinach (from the bag, not a box, which is more compact), drained well
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup taco (or fajita) seasoning
Kosher salt to taste
8 whole wheat tortillas
8 oz pepper jack cheese

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
2. Saute the onion and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes, and then add the corn, spinach, black beans, seasoning, and salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture starts to stick together (almost like a thick paste).
3. Mash the mixture with a potato masher to break up most of the black beans and help all the ingredients stick together.
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the center of each tortilla and spread out to about 1 inch from the edge. Sprinkle with 1 oz of the grated cheese and roll into a burrito.
5. Heat canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the folded tortillas into into the pan, seam side down, and fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
6. Cut each “egg roll” in half on a diagonal and serve with a creamy dipping sauce (I was too lazy to include in this recipe, but this time I used 2 parts plain, non-fat Greek yogurt to 1 part mayonnaise, blended with chipotles in adobo).

This is the second time documenting this recipe, but the third time I’ve made it. The second time, I brushed each “egg roll” with canola oil and baked in a 425-degree oven for about 20 minutes. It was good, but the flavor did not come close to the fried version. So, depending on your mood, either method works well, but fried is preferred.

Notes: make sure to cook out all the moisture in the vegetable mixture, otherwise the tortillas will get soggy and puff up. This round had excellent flavor but the moisture was a problem.

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2 10-oz packages extra-firm tofu
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 assorted bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 10-oz mushrooms (I used cremini, but any will do)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2/3 cup white wine
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Cut each block of tofu into 7 slices. Arrange on a sheet pan and place another sheet pan on top of it. Weigh the top down and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain and pat tofu dry.
3. Cook tofu in broiler for 5 minutes per side, or until dried out and golden brown. Reduce oven temperature to 375 F.
4. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and Italian seasoning and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 7-10 minutes.
5. Deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce by 3/4.
6. Add the tomatoes and reduce liquid by half. Then lower heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
7. Arrange half of the tofu in the bottom of a casserole dish. Top with half the sauce mixture. Layer the rest of the tofu on top, and finish with the rest of the sauce.
8. Bake for 30 minutes.

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3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, medium dice
1 red bell pepper, medium dice
1 green bell pepper, medium dice
4 large cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup textured vegetable protein
2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
9 oz beer of your choice (drink the last 3 oz!) (use gluten-free beer to make the recipe gluten-free)
1 28-oz can peeled whole tomatoes
1 15-oz can red kidney beans
1 15-oz can pinto beans
1 4-oz can fire-roasted green chiles

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Saute until soft, about 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, soak the textured vegetable protein in hot water. Drain, and then add to the pot along with the paprika, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Saute for 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
3. Crush tomatoes and add to the pot, along with the beans and chiles.
4. Pour in the beer and reduce by half.
5. Crush the tomatoes and add to the pot, along with the beans and chiles.
6. Cover the ingredients with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

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